Rail-joint union



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. LOWE.

RAIL JOINT UNION.

No. 394,867. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

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W. LOWE.

RAIL mm ma- No. 394,867. 3' 'Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

(No Model.) 3 Shets-v-Sheet a.

- W. LOWE.

RAIL JOINT UNION. No. 394,867. Patented Dec. 18, 1888.

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PATENT IVILLIAM LOIVE, OF GREENBUSH, NEIV YORK.

RAIL-JOINT UNION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,867, dated December18, 1888.

Application filed June 13,1888. Serial No. 276,949. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM LOWE, a resident of Greenbush, (Troy I. inthe county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improve ments in Rail-Joint Unions; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, that will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the several figures therein.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-joint unions and itconsists of the novel construction and combination of parts, hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

The object of the invention is made to appear in connection with thefollowing description.

Figure of the drawings is a top plan. view of my improved device, shownin position for use, with the rails detached, the relative position ofthe rails being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a central verticalsection taken on the broken. line .20 .r in Fig. 1, showing the membersof the union spiked to a cross-tie and supporting one end of arailwayrail. Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 2, andshowing a position of the members while the parts are being locked orunlocked in making or breaking the union. Fig. I is a bottom plan viewof that member of the union termed the locking-bar detached. Fig. 5 is atop plan view of the other member of the union, called the chair,detached.

My improved union consists, essentially, of two members, A and B,\vhichI term, respectively, chair and locking-bar.

The chair A is provided with a bed-plate, A, adapted to support the feetof the rail 0, also with an upwardly-projecting flange, A adapted toform a lateral support for the web of the rail; also, with a horizontalflange, A adapted to rest upon the cross-tie D and be secured thereto,as by bolts or spikes a.

The locking-bar B is provided with the horizontal flange B, adapted tobe secured to the cross-tie in the same manner as the chairflange, as byspikes a, and with an upwardly-projecting flange, B adapted to form alateral support for the web of the rail; also, with a recess or eye, Badapted to receive a pivotal hook or spur, A", projecting from one sideof the chair.

The members are each provided with spikeholes I). In applying themembers of my improved union to the support of a railway-rail joint theends of the rails to be joined are first seated upon the bed-plate A insubstantially the position shown in Fig. 2 and by dotted line in Fig.1.The chair is then lifted and tilted, as shown in Fig. 3, and the flangeB of the locking-bar passed over the hook A until the latter enters therecess or eye B and permits the flange B to pass under the ball of therail from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 2, in whichlatter position they are securely locked together by the hook andrecess, and cannot be unlocked with out lifting the chair and rail. Byhaving the hook A project above and to one side of the rail-seat itforms a pivotal connection in the eye B between the two members, whichpermits of their being easily forced from the position shown in Fig. 3to that shown in Fig. 2, and back again, as desired, when the membersare not spiked to the cross-tie. They are secured to the crosstie by thespikes (L a. It should be observed that the web of the rail is tightlyinclosed between the two flanges A and E the latter fitting the curve atthe junction of the web and ball of the rail and affording a rigidlateral support for each side of the rail. The flanges are provided withend extensions, (1 d, which may be of any desired length and serve as anauxiliary support. lVhen desired, a post or stud may be erected from thebed-plate A to act as a stop to prevent the longitudinal displacement ofthe rails.

There may be a stop for each rail located at any convenient point toengage wit-h the rails; but I prefer to locate a single stop at acentral point on one side of the bed-plate, as shown at E in Fig. 5 andby dotted lines in Fig. 1, where it is adapted to engage with the end ofeach rail when one corner of the railflanges has been chipped off, asindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. I am thus able to rigidly securethe contiguous ends of the rails in perfect alignment with each otherwithout in any manner attacking or weakening the web or ball of therails or interfering with. expansion and contraction. No bolts arerequired, and there are no nuts to loosen and impair the rigidityof thedevice, nor other small parts to adjust and readjust or replace.

The whole device is composed of the two members A and B. The lateralsupport atforded will permit of the use of lighter rails.

The device can be applied to the support of the rails intermediately oftheir ends, and it may be used upon every cross-tie when desired tosecure additional resistance to lateral strains upon sharp curves orelsewhere.

\Yhen used intermediately of the rail ends, the stops E would bedispensed with as unnecessin'y and to leave the bed-plate free toreceive and support the rail.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

i. In a rail-joint union, the combination, with a chair provided with arail-scat and having on one side of such seat a eross-tie flange and alaierallv-supporting rail-flange and on the opposite side a pivotal hookprojecting' above and to one side of such seat, of a locking-barprovided on its opposite edges with a cross-tietlang'e andalaterally-supporting rail-flange and intermediatcly oi such flangeswith an eye adapted to receive such pivotal hook, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a rail-joint union, the combination, with a chair having arail-seat and provided with a cross-tie flange, a laterally-supportingrail-flange having end extensions, (1, and a pivotal. hook, 1\",()ill alocking-bar provided with a cross-tie flange, a laterally-s11pporti11grail-flange having end extensions, (1, and intermediately of suchflanges with an eye adapted to receive such pivotal hool\',substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 'l2th day of June,1885*.

WILLIAM LOWE.

\Vitnesses:

G130. A. MosHEn, CHAS. L. ALDEN.

